Found one in grandfather's stuff, supposedly used in WW2. Any one have info.

There is no such thing as a M2 *Garand*. There was a M2 Carbine.

Unless you have it registered, I would seriously re-think about posting about it on the internet.

If you have a Carbine marked on the receiver ring as "M2", it is a SERIOUS Federal FELONY crime to be in possession of it.

It's also a State and local felony crime in all 50 states.

If you do have one, strip all the parts off of it, including the barrel if possible, then contact the ATF to turn it in.
You can use the parts to build a legal carbine, or you can sell them on Ebay and make money.

They WILL NOT raid your home and shoot your dog.
Finding automatic weapons nd even explosives is fairly common now that the WWII and Korean vets are passing on.
People are opening attics and foot lockers and finding all sorts of things.
The ATF is quite used to having people contact them about things brought home by an old vet, and they will not give you a bunch of grief for complying with the law.

If you feel uncomfortable with this, give it to your lawyer and he can hand it over.

The LAST thing you want to do is keep it.  A house fire and some fireman or some repairman passing through sees it, and you go to jail.
Prosecutor's have NO sense of humor about automatic weapons, and will go well out of their way to jam you.

In the case of a Carbine stamped "M2", it makes NO DIFFERENCE if it has the full auto parts installed or not. The mere fact that it's stamped as a full auto MAKES it a full auto in the eyes of the law.
The position of the Federal government is: "Once a machine gun, ALWAYS a machine gun".

Bottom line, if you do have a "M2" marked carbine, do yourself a real favor and turn it in.

Sooo, anyone want to go on a fishing trip?

Quoted: If you have a Carbine marked on the receiver ring as "M2", it is a SERIOUS Federal FELONY crime to be in possession of it. It's also a State and local felony crime in all 50 states. If you do have one, strip all the parts off of it, including the barrel if possible, then contact the ATF to turn it in. You can use the parts to build a legal carbine, or you can sell them on Ebay and make money. They WILL NOT raid your home and shoot your dog. Finding automatic weapons nd even explosives is fairly common now that the WWII and Korean vets are passing on. People are opening attics and foot lockers and finding all sorts of things. The ATF is quite used to having people contact them about things brought home by an old vet, and they will not give you a bunch of grief for complying with the law. If you feel uncomfortable with this, give it to your lawyer and he can hand it over. The LAST thing you want to do is keep it.  A house fire and some fireman or some repairman passing through sees it, and you go to jail. Prosecutor's have NO sense of humor about automatic weapons, and will go well out of their way to jam you. In the case of a Carbine stamped "M2", it makes NO DIFFERENCE if it has the full auto parts installed or not. The mere fact that it's stamped as a full auto MAKES it a full auto in the eyes of the law. The position of the Federal government is: "Once a machine gun, ALWAYS a machine gun". Bottom line, if you do have a "M2" marked carbine, do yourself a real favor and turn it in.

check to see if Gramps had amnesty papers or a form 4 before you turn it in or get the hacksaw out,,,,

Be a shame to get rid of either an M1 Carbine OR M2 Carbine (BS laws aside ... )

Quoted: check to see if Gramps had amnesty papers or a form 4 before you turn it in or get the hacksaw out,,,,

Definitely check for the anmesty type paperwork/stuff.  


[rant] Once ok then not ok just because someone passed some random law in 1968 ?!? [/rant]

Quoted: [rant] Once ok then not ok just because someone passed some random law in 1968 ?!? [/rant]

Once OK then not OK because someone did not register it in 1968 for some random reason in response to said random law.

Quoted: Quoted: [rant] Once ok then not ok just because someone passed some random law in 1968 ?!? [/rant] Once OK then not OK because someone did not register it in 1968 for some random reason in response to said random law.

just a rant against stupidity.  Maybe I should demand that my speeding tickets for the 55mph zone(btw - doing less than 70, now practically standard) now be re-imbursed to me.

First find out what it is and if it is FA. Fill out the appropriate paperwork and keep the sucker!

Quoted: First find out what it is and if it is FA. Fill out the appropriate paperwork and keep the sucker!

+1

Quoted: First find out what it is and if it is FA. Fill out the appropriate paperwork and keep the sucker!

Wrong Answer!  Amnesty has been over for nearly 40 years.  The only hope for being legal to keep is if a bill (I don't remember which one) goes through congress allowing veterans or their survivors to register war trophies.  There would, of course need to be some documentation stating that it was actually a bringback, and not a conversion made after the 68 amnesty.  Fat chance, I would say.  Either way, the gun is illegal until the bill passes...

I would agree with one of the previous posters who said to check to see if it was actually registered.  If Pops has paperwork, is should be ok, and the gun is worth more than a new truck.  If not, checking with the feds means a good chance they'll take the thing.

Does it have a selector switch on the left side of the reciever right behind the hand guard?

Quoted: Does it have a selector switch on the left side of the reciever right behind the hand guard?

That would be the M2 variety.

Regardless, its Grandpa's. It would go back in a trunk over Cousin Jethros house until this thread is 87 months old, then go in my closet until the day I died.

Amen cav vet just trying to help him figure out m1 or m2.

Here is a bill introduced by my rep., it has been written about in Americas First Freedom, I'd keep quiet, watch this bill and cross your fingers  thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d109:11:./temp/~bdn2KJ::|/bss/d109query.html|

Post pictures and we can help you out.

Quoted: First find out what it is and if it is FA. Fill out the appropriate paperwork and keep the sucker!

dumbass

Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find

Quoted: Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find

  ?

Quoted: Quoted: Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find   ?

Only 5 posts and stuff keeps pouring out the walls. Hmmm, I wonder too, but if not, send me pictures of the Lugers.

Quoted: Quoted: Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find   ?

+1?

Quoted: Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find

So the luger, the luger's holster, and the luger's magazines (not clips!) all have a matching serial number?

Quoted: Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find

Could be a legit M2.  Grandpa could've been a dealer, yes?

Quoted: Quoted: Haven't found any paperwork yet plenty of other good stuff, also found German Luger with 2 clips and holster all 4 items have matching serial numbers. About m? carbine still looking for paper work, found some FFL paper work up to date. Also found about 40 old rifles and shotguns, some old calvary swords among other things. Still going thru so no telling what else will find So the luger, the luger's holster, and the luger's magazines (not clips!) all have a matching serial number?

Give the guy a break already.  Maybe he's not a gun nut like most of us.  Even at ranges, I hear people refer to mags as "clips".

Still hasn't been determined if it's an M1 or M2 carbine. If it's an M1, you folks may have the poor guy looking for paperwork that doesn't even exist.



Grandpas old closet is the best place to find this old war stuff. One lady called us to liquidate her "Daddy's old guns  he brought back from the war". It turns out Daddy was an Engineer Captain from WW1. We pulled out a really nice 1917-dated M1903 w/ a Krag Bayonet, 1916-dated Mauser, his M1917 helmet with name and unit inside, one each of German, French and English helmets, and one (1) each M1913 Chauchaut LMG.

My grandpa had a PPK, with capture papers, one of my great-uncles brought back.

It has been determined which M? it is, from what I have heard everything he had collected is legit just have to find paperwor. Didn't know grandfather to well and am still finding out info about him. Am getting help with Luger on a different forum and from research thats been done it is very rare. Hope to get pictures once I can prove all is legit.

Has it been willed to you?  Are you the sole heir?  There are others here that will explain the proper paperwork process of legitimately legally owning it.  See more info here.

I'm confident it is an M1 Carbine, that it is not marked M2, nor is it full auto.
If you follow me.

Thanks for all the help now I know that the little thing I put bullets in is not a clip but a magazine.

I don't know much about M1/M2 Carbines, but Here's a pretty good idea for identification:

Look at the markings on it.  Does it say M1 or M2?  The model may be part of some other markings, like "US" or "30 CAL".  

If that doesn't work, check the safety selector:  How many positions does it have?
An M1 will have two:  Safe and Fire.  An M2 will have three:  Safe, Fire, and Auto.  

You can test the operation without firing the gun too:  Make doubly sure it is empty and remove the magazine first.  Put the selector in one of the positions, and pull the trigger and hold it down.

In safe the gun should do nothing.
In Fire the hammer should fall.  While still holding the trigger down, pull the bolt back and slowly close it.  
If the bolt closes and the hammer stays cocked, release the trigger and pull it again.  The hammer should fall.  This would be Semi-auto.
If the bolt closes and the hammer falls by itself, the gun is full auto, and either an M2, or an M1 converted to full auto.

Now that you have determined whether it is full auto or not, here's what you do:

If not full auto, AND no "M2" markings:  Probably not machinegun.  Take home and enjoy, unless you have to register it or something (check state and local laws).

If it is Full auto, OR says "M2" on it (I say this because if it ever was a machinegun, it still is, in the eyes of the law, and any gun that says "M2" on it is a machinegun), start looking for that damn paperwork fast.  Check anywhere he might have kept important papers:  safe deposit boxes, safes, filing cabinet, desk drawers.  Search everything looking for a form from the Treasury Department (ATF wasn't around before the amnesty) with a Tax stamp affixed to it (I'm not sure what the old forms looked like).

If you find the form, that's good.  Talk to a Class III dealer about getting it transferred.

If you can't find the form, that's bad, and this is where the situation gets dicey.

You see, having those forms is the only legal backup you have.  The ATF has been rumored to have real bad records, especially old ones.  So if you contact them, and they don't have a record either, they WILL take the gun, on the assumption that it was never registered.  If you are lucky, you might not get prosecuted.

Hope this helps...

Put a post on m-16 full auto about what I need to do and recieved feedback, now I know what to do including leaving RI due to RI not being NFA friendly.

Quoted: I don't know much about M1/M2 Carbines, but Here's a pretty good idea for identification: Look at the markings on it.  Does it say M1 or M2?  The model may be part of some other markings, like "US" or "30 CAL".   If that doesn't work, check the safety selector:  How many positions does it have? An M1 will have two:  Safe and Fire.  An M2 will have three:  Safe, Fire, and Auto.   You can test the operation without firing the gun too:  Make doubly sure it is empty and remove the magazine first.  Put the selector in one of the positions, and pull the trigger and hold it down. In safe the gun should do nothing. In Fire the hammer should fall.  While still holding the trigger down, pull the bolt back and slowly close it.   If the bolt closes and the hammer stays cocked, release the trigger and pull it again.  The hammer should fall.  This would be Semi-auto. If the bolt closes and the hammer falls by itself, the gun is full auto, and either an M2, or an M1 converted to full auto. Now that you have determined whether it is full auto or not, here's what you do: If not full auto, AND no "M2" markings:  Probably not machinegun.  Take home and enjoy, unless you have to register it or something (check state and local laws). If it is Full auto, OR says "M2" on it (I say this because if it ever was a machinegun, it still is, in the eyes of the law, and any gun that says "M2" on it is a machinegun), start looking for that damn paperwork fast.  Check anywhere he might have kept important papers:  safe deposit boxes, safes, filing cabinet, desk drawers.  Search everything looking for a form from the Treasury Department (ATF wasn't around before the amnesty) with a Tax stamp affixed to it (I'm not sure what the old forms looked like). If you find the form, that's good.  Talk to a Class III dealer about getting it transferred. If you can't find the form, that's bad, and this is where the situation gets dicey. You see, having those forms is the only legal backup you have.  The ATF has been rumored to have real bad records, especially old ones.  So if you contact them, and they don't have a record either, they WILL take the gun, on the assumption that it was never registered.  If you are lucky, you might not get prosecuted. Hope this helps...

actually,,,

a M1 Carbine has a safety just like a regular carbine, either a button (very early) or a lever just in front of the trigger gaurd,,

the selector switch is located on the left side of the receiver, near the front receiver ring, the receiver ring should read us carbine caliber 30 M1 ( or M2 or with the 2 overstamped on the 1),

the selector is not marked,
hope that helps

Quoted: actually,,, a M1 Carbine has a safety just like a regular carbine, either a button (very early) or a lever just in front of the trigger gaurd,, the selector switch is located on the left side of the receiver, near the front receiver ring, the receiver ring should read us carbine caliber 30 M1 ( or M2 or with the 2 overstamped on the 1), the selector is not marked, hope that helps

Yeah, so uhhhh....  Well, at least I didn't say I 'm an expert or anything....

Quoted: Put a post on m-16 full auto about what I need to do and recieved feedback, now I know what to do including leaving RI due to RI not being NFA friendly.

Since Grandpa was a legit collector, that would lead me to believe it's not an M2 then. Does RI have registration of all firearms so you need to find that paperwork?

Quoted: Put a post on m-16 full auto about what I need to do and recieved feedback, now I know what to do including leaving RI due to RI not being NFA friendly.